Traffic emergency warning device



April 1970 E. w. GRABOW 3,507,245

TRAFFIC EMERGENCY WARNING DEVICE Filed May 6, 1968 17 //v l E/V roetom/M0 wa/mow United States Patent 3,507,245 TRAFFIC EMERGENCY WARNINGDEVICE Edmund W. Grabow, 710 12th Ave., Brookings, S. Dak. 57006 FiledMay 6, 1968, Ser. No. 726,844

Int. Cl. B60q US. Cl. 116-28 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Awarning device for the purpose of indicating a stalled vehicle upon ahighway, the device comprising a vertical panel upon a base, the panelbeing painted on both sides with a bright fluorescent paint so as to bereadily seen by an approaching vehicle particularly at night time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a traflicemergency warning device which can be readily placed upon the roof of astalled automobile so that the same may be seen from either direction bymoving traffic.

Yet another object is to provide a safeway emergency emblem which can bereadily placed in a collapsed position within the trunk compartment ofan automobile so that it may be immediately available in case of anemergency.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a trafiicemergency warning device which includes a panel supported upon a base,the panel being coated with a fluorescent paint upon each opposite side.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a traificemergency warning device having no moving parts to wear out and whichrequires no batteries or other mechanism for operation.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a trafiicemergency warning device which is simple in design, inexpensive tomanufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and eflicient inoperation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of an automotive vehicle showing thepresent invention mounted thereupon.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral representsa traffic emergency warning device according to the present inventionwherein there is a base 11 upon which a vertically upstanding panel 12is removably supported.

The base 11 comprises a longitudinal member provided at each end with adownwardly extending foot 13, each foot having a magnet 14 embeddedtherewithin, the lower end of each magnet extending below the lowersurface 15 of each foot. The underside of each magnet 14 may be ICCprovided with a thin layer of felt 16 so as to prevent the magnet fromscratching the finish of an automobile body upon which the device may beplaced. Such felt is of relatively thin nature so as to not detract fromthe magnetic force of the magnet relative to a metal surface upon whichthe device is supported. The base 11 further includes a slot 17 upon itsupper side 18 for the purpose of receiving a corner or a side edge 18 ofthe panel 12.

The panel 12 comprises a generally flat member having a peripheral edge20 which is of octagonal configuration as shown in FIG. 1 of thedrawing. Thus the panel is provided with eight tabs or corners formed,any of which is receivable within the slot 17 of the base 11. A circularopening 21 is provided centrally through the panel, and the oppositesides 22 of the panel are coated with a fluorescent paint which will beluminescent particularly when the light of an automobile headlamp shinesthereupon.

In operative use, should an automotive vehicle 23- become stalled uponthe right of way of a highway 24, the motorist need only to place thedevice 10 upon the roof 25 of the vehicle so that the same may be seenfrom either direction by the moving trafiic. Thus a suitable warningdevice is provided so as to protect collision of other vehicles into thestalled automobile.

It is to be understood that the panel may be made either permanentlysecured to the base or it may be made removable so that the panel andbase may be conveniently stored away conveniently with a minimum amountof space in the automobile trunk.

While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it isunderstood that such changes will be within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as is defined by the appended claim.

I claim:

1. In a trafiic emergency warning device, the combination of anupstanding panel and a base, said base sup porting said panel, means fortemporary securement of said base upon an automobile vehicle body, andmeans by said upstanding panel to be clearly visible within theheadlight rays of moving vehicles so to prevent the same from collidingwith the vehicle upon which said device is placed, said upstanding panelcomprising a flat member of octagonal peripheral configuration, saidoctagonal panel accordingly being provided with eight corner or tabareas, one of which is used for securement of said panel to said base,the opposite sides of said panel being coated with a fluorescent paintso to produce a luminiscent eifect when shined upon, said basecomprising a longitudinal member having a pair of downwardly extendingfeet, each one of said feet being located near a longitudinal end ofsaid base, each of said feet having a magnet embedded therewithin, thelower end of each said magnets extending below a lower surface of saidfeet, the underside of each of said magnets being covered by a thin feltof a thickness which is not sufiicient to detract from the magneticforce of said magnets downwardly therethrough, an intermediate portionof said base being upwardly arched along a lower edge thereof so toclear any arcuate portion of an automobile body, said intermediateportion of said base being provided with a vertically extending slotupon an upper side thereof, said slot receiving one of said corners ofsaid panel, said panel being in an upstanding position, and saidposition being provided with a central opening therethrough for purposeof withstanding a wind and preventing the same being knocked 3 downthereby, said central opening being of a circular 2,887,983configuration. 2,926,625 References Cited 3,121,416 UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,389,428 2,557,399 6/1951 Teeter 248-206 5 3,082,982 3/1963Moskowitz 248-206 1,078,785 1,256,337 2/ 1918 Lieber 248-473 1,126,5162,235,283 3/1941 Carver 248-473 2,360,516 10/ 1944 Scbmidling. 2,767,49710/ 195 6- Munson. 2,869,504 1/1959 Andrews et a1. 116-63 2,875,324 2/1959 Camp et a1.

4 5/1959 Budd 116-63 3/ 1960 Mulholland 116-63 2/1964 Gizdich 116-28 4/1968' Abrams 116-63 FOREIGN PATENTS 8/ 1967 Great Britain. 7/ 1956France.

10 LOUIS I. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

